In writing this chapter I realised something about myself...I write villains better than I'd thought. Also I apologise for Edward being OOC but everyone loves a villain right ;)
Edward stopped running at the foot of the Olympic mountain range, his severed right hand clutched in his left. Anger still flooded his heart. Anger aimed purely at his pixie-like sister. The tiny amnesiac had stolen his mate. She already had her own but she'd seduced Isabella and led her astray. Led her away from him. Alice Cullen would pay for her betrayal that much he knew, as clearly as he knew that he could not let Bella fall into the harlot's clutches.
He sat on a stay rock and waited for the flesh of his hand to reach out to that of his wrist. It didn't take long; his face had healed while he ran. None would know the foundling girl had defeated him and of that he was glad. As he waited his mind wandered to the feeling of the girl's jaw breaking under his knuckles. Edward flexed the hand, remembering the small slice of justice with a small smile. It was nothing compared to what he would do when they next met. A mere speck on his greater plans.
His smile grew when he found remnants of Isabella Swan's sweet blood lingering on his lips. He regretted biting her, he did but the scar on her neck would mark her as forever his. And his alone. There would be nothing the Jezebel could do about that unless of course she let the transformation take its course. But he knew her and that was not something she'd let happen. Her morals rivalled his own before the betrayal but, as with him, they would be instrumental in her downfall. As would her silly little need to love. "I'm guessing it didn't go well." A melodic voice floated towards him and the power embedded in the words almost made him bow at the owner's feet. Almost.
"It didn't." He refused to turn around, knowing that the second his orange tinged eyes locked with scarlet he would be forced to his knees by his new mistress.
"I told you you needed me." There was a smug tone in her voice and a smirk on her pointed face as she took a seat on the rock beside him. Jane Volturi brushed a lock of dark brown hair from her eyes. "My day went a little better." Edward glanced behind him with detached interest to see Dimitri Volturi unconscious and bound in chains on the grass behind them. He looked back at the child.
"What did he do to warrant your revenge coup?" He asked with a tiny smile that didn't reach his cold eyes. "Sleep with your brother?" Jane narrowed her eyes and a flash of white-hot pain rippled through his head. "Or with you?" This time the bolt of pain lasted longer. "Aro?"
"He attacked me Cullen. Nothing more and nothing less." Edward let his smile fall, knowing better than to rile the girl. She'd left the Volturi to exact her revenge on all the members who'd wronged her in her years of service. The tear in her shoulder bore testament to Aro's displeasure at his favourite girl's departure.
"No. Masen. Not Cullen. Not anymore." Jane nodded her approval and they both turned to Dimitri as he twitched, no doubt trying to break the bonds that held him. They exchanged a smile; his death was exactly what Edward Masen needed. Swiftly and painfully followed by Alice Cullen's downfall and the reclamation of what was rightly his.
/
Bella began to stir in the early afternoon but Alice held her gently in place, small hands against the human's shoulders. "Alice?" The vampire couldn't fight the shiver that raced down her back at her voice; it had been a long night watching the human's unmoving form, dreading the revelation that she'd taken too much blood.
"I'm here." An almost manic grin pulled at her lips as she took Bella's hand and ghosted a kiss across her knuckles without thinking.
"Are you hurt? Did Edward hurt you?" Bella freed her hand from Alice's and gently ran a finger along the break in Alice's face; there was a chip in the marble flesh along the line of her jaw. The vampire laughed softly and fought not to arch into the contact; it was a typical Bella response. She may be the one who'd only just regained consciousness but her first thought was for the immortal girl at her side.
"I'm fine Bell. I promise." Alice got to her feet slowly, a smile still pulling at her lips. Bella snatched at her hand to keep her from getting to far.
"Stay. Please." Alice flashed back to the night Bella had last said those words and had to beat back the sick feeling in her chest. Edward was gone and all she was going to focus on was Bella's happiness. The misguided loves of her family had caused the human enough pain and suffering all ready without her making it worse. If Bella chose Alice would let herself love her but if Bella chose another then Alice would do as she couldn't the first time. She would smile along with her best friend and look out for her instead of nursing her crippled feelings.
"I'm just going to fetch Carlisle. He wanted to check you as soon as you woke up; you've been out all night." Alice tried to smile but the look in Bella's brown eyes broke her heart all over again. "Charlie thinks I kidnapped you for the night, purely for innocent reasons of course." She winked and Bella gave a weak laugh followed by a wince.
"Please? It's stupid but…I don't want to be alone." Alice felt her resolve crumble and knew in that moment she was well and truly lost; she was completely and irrevocably possessed by her human. She sat back in her chair and laced her fingers though Bella's.
"You're never alone. Not while I'm here." Bella smiled. "And I'm going to be around for a while. So is Jacob by the way. He's been hanging around the house since he carried you in."
"I'm sure I can handle you two." Alice grinned, certain that Bella was right. Whether the girl knew it or not both werewolf and vampire were well and truly under her spell and as far as Alice could see, there was no way out.
You just have to love Alice right? She's so sweet :)
